Duck Footed Love
by Yuriko Tsukino
Summary: Xover with Ranma 1/2. Complete. I'm sorry aboutt he paragraphs. I didn't know it clumped like that until today. Pleas read anyway!


Yeah! A ficlet by me! This is my favorite cross over couple, Mainly b/c Ami is my fav. S.M character and Mu Su is my fav. from Ranma. And I don't own any of this.  
  
Duck Footed Love  
  
Ami looked up from her book as her stomach growled. She had spent hours at the library, and had neglected her lunch. Now it was almost five and she was starving. Well, that ought to teach me, she thought as she replaced a few books on their shelves and made her way to the check out counter. Now I'll be lucky to catch a bus with an empty seat home. Her stomach made its presence known again. She had decided to spend this Friday at the main branch of the Tokyo Library, instead of waiting for the dozen or so books she had been wanting to be shipped to Juuban, which could take a week. It was easier to just take the bus an hour into the city. However, she hadn't packed a lunch, or even to remembered to take a break. Folding her check out recipt into her purse and clutching her bag of library books a little tighter, she made her way to the bus stop. She almost missed the bus, and when it cam around the curve it went right through a puddle and splashed mucky water all over her shoes and new white socks. Sighing, Ami took a seat near the back of the bus, the only one left. The man next to her lit a cigarette, and the smoke blew right in her face. That was when she noticed the window behind him was open , and at an odd angle. Jammed. And there was no way she would be able to close it, a thought which made her glare as sprinkles of water came through and hit her in the face. It was NOT a good afternoon. She was almost home when her temper nearly snapped. She was wet, cold, and had a headache from hunger and cigarette smoke (the man seemed to be riding to the end of the line, and couldn't seem to go more than a few minutes without lighting up), and her legs were falling asleep from having to sit still with so many books resting on them for so long. And then the bus stopped. Leaning forward to see what was going on, she heard the driver's harsh voice come over the intercom. "Sorry folks, but it seems there is an accident up at this intersection. We're gonna be here a while. Looks like a four car pile up. On these streets I can't really detour, so I'll let off anyone who wants off here. Sorry for the inconveiniance." Several people grumbled at this announcement, and Ami fought the urge to join them. Looking outside, the sprinkle at the begining of the ride was now a boarderline downpour. *Sigh* I am not looking forward to walking home in that, she thought. Climbing off the bus with the other passengers, Ami noticed a small resaraunt where most of the people seemed to be heading. The banner overhead said 'Nekohatten'. "The Cat Cafe..." Ami mussed to herself. She remembered Makoto mentioning it once, or was it Usagi? She wasn't sure; she rarly paid attenion to things like that. Shivering in the cold rain, Ami hurred accross the street to the cafe, glad for the refuge from the wet and chill evening. The restraunt was fairly small, but it might have just been all the bus passengers. It seemed that Ami wasn't the only one who had heard of it; most of the people from the bus were there, but Ami thanked Kami-sama profusly that the man with the cigerette wasn't. Once more, Ami found the last seat available. It was a small booth near the kitchens, and Ami sank into it, glad to finally have someplace padded sit. She pulled out a menu, glanced at it, and picked one of the cheapest items on the menu. She had been planing on just getting fast food for lunch, and being home in time for diner, but luck was against her, so now she only had about 1300 yen with her, and while the cafe was reasonable, it was a far cry from some of the American fast food places near the library. Ami pulled out the book she had started on the bus, and was well into it when she heard a voice above her. Surprised, she looked up. There was a boy there, about her age or a little older, with shoulder-length black hair, robes, and thick glasses. "Do you know what you would like?" he asked. "Oh! Um, yes," Ami said. "Just the miso ramen and some oolong tea. Hot, please," she said. Her ordering done, Ami burried her nose back in her book. But she could still feel he server's presence. "So I'm not the only one who likes to read books about science in my spare time," he said. Ami looked at him. She wasn't used to that kind of response when someone saw what she considered 'light reading'. "Um, yes," Ami replied, feeling _very_ articulate. "What was your name?" "It's Mu Su, but it's Mousse in Jappanese." He didn't seemed to happy to be named after a hair care product, and as Ami reflected, she wouldn't have been either, in his place. "Watashi wa Mizuno Ami desu," she said. "I-- "MOUSSE! GET OVER HERE!" A short, whithered old woman on a cane poked her head out of the kitchen. "Mousse! Get in here! I don't pay you to stand around socializing!" The door swung shut in her wake, and Mousse shrugged and followed. Ami went back to her book. A girl with purple hair delivered her ramen a few minutes later, and Ami ate slowly, savering the warmth and the exceptionaly good noodle soup. Ami had been so preoccupied in reading her book while she ate that it was nearly eight thirty when she finnished her meal. She was slidding her book back into her bag when Mu Su came to get her bowl. "Arigato, it was very good," she said as she handed him her money. "I'm glad you liked it," he replied. "Did you like that book you were reading?" he asked. "Hai. I'm very interested in computers." "It's really detailed isn't it?" he answered as he opened the cash register. "I picked it up a few weeks ago, and couldn't put it down." He lowered his voice. "Koh lon-sama doesn't know this, but I had it hidden in the kitchen to read when there was a lull." Ami smiled. "Well, I suppose I'll see you later," she replied, and turned towards the door. "Jaban ne, Mizuno-san," came the reply. "Jaban ne, Mu Su-san," Ami said as the bell above the door tingled, announcing her exit.  
  
It was a few days later, and Ami had nothing to do. Her mother was working double shifts (again) and the other scouts had gone to an amusement park, which didn't really intest Ami. She had been reading all day (again), and wanted to streach her legs. It was early for dinner, but she had skipped luch for the second time that week, and she had forgotten to go grocery shopping. Her mother, of course, hadn't had the chance. She smiled to herself as she picked up her purse. Makoto-chan would be proud of me, she thought. I'm acctualy pursing someone. And it isn't over a test score rivalry. She chuckled inwardly, then shook her head. What am I thinking?! I don't have time for a boyfriend! There's scout business, and my research, and how will I get into a good medical collage when I'm out on dates and not studying? But still... when he had been ringing up her change, his head tilted just so the light didn't reflect off of his glasses, she had seen the Mu Su had very nice eyes. Dark... beautiful.... Ami heard herself sigh, and nearly jumped at the sound. "I'm getting as bad as Mina-chan and Mako-chan," she muttered to herself as she headed out the door. "Next thing you know, I'll be making excuses to see him." And she turned left, in the direction of the Nekohaten.  
  
The Nekohatten was empty, aside from Mu Shu who was behind the counter reading. Ami took one of the seats accross from him. "Kon'nichi wa," she said, smiling. "Kon'nichi wa," Mu Su replied, looking up. He reached for the menu, but Ami stopped him. "That's alright," she said. "I'll just have the miso ramen again." "Oolong tea?" Mu Su asked. "Cold, please." "Coming right up," he said, and went back to the kitchen. Ami craned her neck to see the title of the book he was reading. It was about planets. Smiling, she reached over and read the back. It explained how each planet was supposed to hold it's own power. Well, that much she knew from experiance. "Are you interested in Astrology?" Ami looked up Mu Su was back. "A little," she replied. "I wouldn't have picked you for the type though." "I'm not. That's just research," Mu Shu said. "If you're not intested, then why are you looking it up?" she asked. "Well, recently I saw the Sailor Scouts fight, and I was curiouse to see if their fighting style had anything to do with their planets. Like Venus. Venus, or Aphrodidte, was the goddess of love, and she has attacks like 'Venus Love Me Chain Encircle'. So I thought I'd see what the other planets were supposed to be like. Mercury was a messenger god, but he also was a patron of learning, and I've noticed that even though she doesn't really fight, she tells the others weak spots and stuff with that computer she has. And Mars was the war god, with the power of fire, just like Sailor Mars. And Sailor Jupitor has that 'Oak Evolution' attack, and Jupitor had powers over plants. "The one I don't understand is Sailor Moon," he said. "All that book said was that there was a goddess named Selene who fell in love with someone named Endymion." Ami smiled secretly. He had figured out a lot. "So, do you have a favorite Scout?" she asked. She was surprised that part of her wanted him to say Mercury. "Jupiter," he replied promptly. "She is very strong and good at combat. Where I am from, we value stong women." Ami fought dissapointment and tried to change the subject. "So where are you from?" "A small village in China called Juysenko. It's the only Amazon village in existance." Ami's eyes got wide. "Amazon? I thought that was only in mythology!" Mu Su chuckled. "Only the Greek ones are myths." "So that's why you like strong women. It's a matriachal society," she said. A nodd, and then the kitchen door opened and the purple haired girl came out carying a streaming bowl of ramen and a glass of cold oolong tea.  
  
The two continued to talk while Ami ate, and she discovered that Mu Su was a martial artist, which shouldn't have surprised her, but the fact that he was the master of something called hidden weapons did. Whe he found out she didn't know any martial arts, he offered to teach her. "Everyone should know at least some form of self defence. Tokyo can be a dangerouse place, after all." Ami readily accepted, wanting to show him Sailor Mercury wasn't just a book worm.  
  
So that was why Ami was behind the Nekohatten three days later. "Now," Mu Su said, "I don't think that you're very likely to carry around weapons, are you?" he asked. Ami shook her head. "Well, then I'll just show you the basics for hand to hand combat. First you need to get in a ready stance." He crouched and Ami coped his movements and commited them to memory. He showed her some basic kata, and told her to memorize them. She did each one twice for him to inspect, and to help her remember. She couldn't seem to get all the positions right. He told her to raise her arm, straighten her fist, lean back more, the list went on and on. "I think that's enough for today," to said when he noticed her tiring. "You're not used to all this physical activity." "No, not really," she replied. Silently, Ami vowed to practice everyday, and maybe take up Makoto on her offer to jog with her each morning. It took a while, but after a week and a half of traing with Mu Su everyday from three until almost four, when there were only two or three customers at the restraunt, Ami noticed a marked improvement. She was able to practice longer, and Mu Su hardly had to correct her stance. She was also able to do more as a Senshi, a very gratifying feeling. It was dissapointing, not to mention difficult not to mention to Mu Su her accomplishments at training sessions on the day after a battle. She wanted so badly to prove to him that Sailor Mercury was able to stand her own ground, that she was getting somewhere. But everytime she was only able to bite her toung and go through the kata again.  
  
Ami had been training with Mu Su for almost a month and a half when she found out the devistating truth. By this time, Ami had finnaly admited to herself that she had a crush on Mu Su. A BIG crush. She was on her way to a training session one day when she heard the sounds of fighting coming from the ally behind the Nekohaten where Mu Su taught her. He was fighting a boy his age with a short braid, and the purple haired girl had joined in. "DIE SATOME!! FOR STEALING MY BELOVED XIAN PU!!" Mu Shu cried as he lept at his oponent, chains flying from his sleaves. "I WILL HAVE HER AS MY FINACEE!!" Ami swallowed hard. She didn't hear the other boy's response. She turned and ran back home. Why didn't I see it? she asked herself as she flew down the streets to Juuban. She was there the entire time! How could I have ignored the way he followed her around like a lost puppy dog, always trying to please her? She was lying on her bed trying to stop the tears before she remembered her lesson. He won't miss me, she decided misserably. He's got that Shampoo girl. Besides, he looked _plenty_ busy when I left. This is exactly why I didn't want to fall in love. Why I break out when I toutch love letters, she thought. Because I always get carried away when I have more important things to concern myself with. Like SAT's and the practice test we have in cram school tomorrow. And I never did finish that annlisis on the damion last night. Ami blew her nose and wipped her eyes, and sat up. She looked around her bedroom absently for a moment, then picked up her computer and began running an annalisis on a completely typical damion. Then she moved on to an assighnment for cram school, and almost didn't hear the doorbell ring. Ami ran down the stairs, trying to catch the person before they left, and opened the door as the guest reached to ring a second time. It was Mu Su. "What are you doing here?" she asked, surprised. "You never showed up for your lesson, and I wanted to make sure you were alright," he replied. "I know you well enough by now to know you wouldn't just skip out unless something was wrong." "Oh, well, I'm fine," Ami replied, trying to remain currtiouse and polite, even though she felt like bashing him over the head for leading her on, even if the rational part of her pined the blame on Ami herself. "I just wasn't feeling myself earlier." "I just wanted to make sure you were alright." He looked in her eyes, or at least at her face, since he wasn't wearing his glasses. Such nice, dark eyes... "Well, I need to go," Mu Su said, pulling Ami from her day dream. "Xian Pu and I need to pick some things up for the cafe." "Oh. Well I'll see you tomorrow then." It came out more curt and cold than Ami and intended, and Mu Su looked at her strangely for a moment, then turned and went back to the Nekohaten. Ami slamed the door in his wake.  
  
The next day, Ami was feeling better and while she dreaded seeing Xian Pu, she reminded herself that she was normaly busy in the kitchen, and that she would have to control herself if her name came up. The lesson was fairly normal. She had the distinct impression that Mu Su was going easy on her today because he thought she had been sick the day before. She decided to prove him wrong and vent a little by delivering a particularly hard blow to his chin when he wasn't expecting it. He never did expect hard blows from her, considering she wasn't used to fighting, and never wanted to hurt anyone. The blow knocked him back for a moment, and he had a surprised look on his face. They continued like this, Ami using progressivly harder blows, until she was winded and her hands and feet were sore. Mu Su was just sugesting that they stop for the day, when [Murphy's law at work, folks ^_^] it began to rain. Mu Su looked suddenly uneasy at the sprinkling of droplets that were hitting the pavement. "Would you like to go inside for a drink?" he asked quickly, ushering her inside as fast as he could. Ami looked at him strangely. She knew a lot of people didn't like rain, but really.... They sat inside for almost an hour, completely engrossed in conversation. At last, Ami looked at her watch. "I really need to get going," she said. "My mom is actually planing on getting home early tonight from the hospital, and I wanted to make her something special for dinner." "What happened that your mother is in the hospital?" Mu Su asked, worried. "Oh, no, it's not like that," Ami said. "She works there. She's a doctor, and lately she's been working a lot of double shifts." "Oh," he said. He glanced out the window. "Would it be alright if I walked you home?" he asked. It had stopped raining. "Of course," Ami replied, and lead the way out the door. A block from Ami's house, luck finnaly caught up with our blind bishonen. They were at the curb, waiting for the 'walk' sign to light up, when a semi came hurtling past, splashing muddy, cold water all over Ami, and yes, Mu Su. Ami wipped the mud from her face as best she could. "Mu Su-san?" He was no where in sight. She took a step, and jumped back when she heard an objective quack from a duck that was standing in the middle of a pile of cloth. Strangely familiar cloth... Ami picked it up with two fingers. "Mu Su-san's robes? What...? Where....? I don't understand...." she said slowly. She looked down at the duck again. It's legs were tangled in Mu Shu's pants. Reaching down, she tried to untangle the poor animal, but the rain started again, heavier this time. Ami picked up the duck and the bundle of clothes and hurried home. She set the duck down on the couch and untangled it. As her hands unwound the cloth, she began talking to herself without realizing it. "Where could he have gone? And his clothes...?" She paused for a moment and just looked at the duck. Then she laughed. "What could I be thinking? Mu Su-san, turn into a duck? That's impossible. People don't turn into animals." She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't hear the duck sigh with releif. "Maybe he works for the negaverse, and was sent to....but he's been so kind! Still, they are good at..." Now she was holding the duck in her lap, stroking it's soft, if slightly damp, feathers. Ami looked down. "Well, I have more imeadiate concerns. Like where you came from," she said, standing. "I can't just let you go, there's too many people. I'll just take you back to the park a few blocks down in the morning." She opened the door of the bathroom and set the duck on the floor. She reached out to turn on the water, then turned back to the duck who was watching her expectanly. Ami tilted his head up. "How strange," she said. "I thought ducks only had brown eyes, not black. But then again, I've never studied ducks." In the back of her mind, she added, Black eyes, like Mu Su's. Ami sighed to herself as she picked up the muddy clothes and went to put them in the laundry room, and get some clean clothes to change into. "Why do I even bother torchering myself? He only likes Shampoo, even if she is a thick headed bimbo who doesn't like him in the least and only wants that other guy I saw." She put the clothes in the washer and started it, grabbing some clean ones from a nearby basket to change into after her bath. When she turned to go back to the bathroom, she nearly tripped over the duck, which had followed her. "What do you want?" she asked, looking down. The duck mearly stared back with big, doleful black eyes. Ami sighed again and picked him up. "I guess I'm not the only one who gets lonely, ne?" She stroked his feathers and set him down on the floor of the bathroom and began peeling off her clothes as she made her way to the shower head at the other end of the room. She didn't see the duck blush, or pass out with a nose bleed. Meanwhile, the host in question and finnished washing and was padding her way to the tub, which had cooled enough for her to slip in comfortably. She slid down in the water until only her nose, and part of her forhead were visible. Popping back up, she folded her arms on the edge of the tub and rested her chin on them. "You know what?" she said to the duck, "You need to be cleaned off. You're all muddy." And with that she picked up the duck and plopped him in the water. "GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!" Ami screamed and jumped backward, trying to keep herself hidden in the water. "I--I--" Mu Su stuttered. "G--gomen nasai," he said to the shower, which was on the wall to her left. Far left. Ami's startled brain began putting pieces together. He can't see without his glasses, she thought. In all the time she had known him, she had only seen Mu Su with his glasses on. [Miracle of miracles, ne?] Sliding over in the tub, she reached for the glasses that she had left sitting on the floor accidentaly. Then, thinking better of it, she reached for a towel instead. Wrapping it around her, she grabbed another one and handed it to Mu Su. "Here," she said, offering it. Mu Su squinted, then took it. Ami quickly looked away as he pulled himself up. Her cheeks were bright red. "I--I'm very sorry, Ami-san," he said as he climbed out of the bath. He was talking to the shower head again. Feeling slightly short tempered at his blindness, Ami reached out a hand. "Here, put on your glasses," she said. Mu Su reached for them, still facing the wrong direction. Sighing, Ami stepped in front of him and placed the glasses on his face. "Is that better?" she asked. Mu Su nodded and gulped. He wasn't used to seeing anyone in scant clothing aside from Xian Pu, and even then she wearing actual clothing, not just a bath towel. Realizing he was staring, Mu Su readied himself for the blow that was sure to come. Women always got mad and blamed the guy in situations like this. Except it didn't come. "Aren't you going to hit me now?" he asked. "Why would I do that?" Ami asked. "Because I saw you in the bath, and my curse, and..." "No, I'm not angry with you. Surprised and curiouse, but not angry." She reached for her robe and handed it to him. "Here, put this on," she said. "There's no way your clothes are even through the wash cycle yet, and would I be correct in asuming that cold water is the activator to your curse?" Mu Su nodded. "Wet clothes wouldn't be a good idea." "You'll just have to make do with that for now then," she said. "My parents are divorced, so there isn't any men's clothes around here. I'm going to run up to my room and change real quick. Go ahead and make your self at home." With that, she turned and left.  
  
Five minutes later, they were in the kitchen and Ami was making tea while Mu Su sat patiently at the counter. After a long pause, Ami finally asked the inevitable. "So how did you get your curse?" "That's a long story," was the reply. "Let's just suffice to say that I had magical water from the Spring of the Drowned Duck dumped on me, so now when I get splashed with cold water I turn into a duck, and hot water changes me back." "That explains why you don't like rain." "Hai." Silence. The tea pot whistled, and Ami took it off the stove. Pouring water for them both, she pulled a tea bag from a tin and motioned for Mu Shu to do the same. Her family wasn't very traditional, and even at that they didn't have company much, so their formal tea set was stored in a cabnet and in no condition to be used. "You probably hate me now," said Mu Su quietly. Ami nearly dropped her tea cup. "Why would I hate you?" she asked, slaming the cup on the table as she half rose. How could I hate you? I love you! she wanted to add. Mu Su looked up, surprised at the out burst from such a quiet person. Ami sat back down, embarrased. "Well, with the bath and everything," he said, "All the other girls I know would try to kill me for that." "Maybe you don't know any good ones, then," Ami replied softly. "What do you mean? Xain Pu is a wonderful woman! She is strong, and she is right to punish me for my misconduct!" Ami looked at him sadly. He was so blinded by his feelings and his culture that he didn' t even see that his beloved didn't care if he lived or died. Am I doing the same thing? Ami asked pensivly. She shoved the thought aside. Of course not. He wouldn't be giving me lessons, and he wouldn't have walked me home, she argued. More silence. Ami finished her tea, and looked at her lap figiting. She noticed Mu Shu doing the same. She took a breath and broke the uncomfortable quiet. "I'm sorry I insulted Xain Pu," she said softly. "I just don't see how you can love her when she treats you like that." "You do not know our culture," Mu Shu said flatly. Afraid she had hurt his feelings, Ami looked at her lap again, and nearly jumped when the timer on the washer went off. Leaping from her seat, she hurried into the laundry room to put her guest's clothes into the drier. Before she went back to the kitchen she blinked several times and checked her reflection in a dust pan to make sure she didn't look as pitiful as she felt. "The truth is," Mu Shu said, before she had even sat down, "I have begun to wonder about my feelings as well. It is my duty as an Amazon to marry a strong woman. However, I know now that a life with Xain Pu would be almost assuredly a bad one. Even the Amazons condone marrages when one does not love or at least care for the other. And so I am at a loss." Ami fought for control off the urges to comfort Mu Su and leap for joy. Finaly, she settled for middle ground an hopped that her voice wouldn't crack in excitment at his confession. "You just need to find someone who truely loves you," she said. Mu Su snorted. "And where would I find someone like that? Recently both Xain Pu and Kol Lon-sama have gone to great lengths to point out my flaws; I'm blind, and clumsy because of it. I'm weak, can't fight well enough to even defeat an outsider. I spend too much time reading and not enough time working. I--" He stopped when Ami got up and put her arms around him. "Mu Su, don't listen to them," she said quietly. Tears were welling in her eyes for him. Her heart ached to comfort him. "You are one of the most wonderful people I know. You are kind, and generouse, and a true gentalman. You're smart, talented, and you can fight. Don't think I haven't learned anything from you. I think," she paused, afraid of offending him again. "I think that you have stopped trying to win, for all the reasons you just told me. You know that even if you do win, you won't be happy, so you fight, but not to win." She pulled away and looked at her feet. "I--I'm sorry. I said too much. I didn't mean to insult--" "You didn't insult me, Ami-chan," Mu Su said. Ami blushed as he went to get his clothes from the dryer, which had begun buzzing. He changed in the laundry room, and returned shortly with her robe over his arm. He handed it to her, and put his hands on her shoulders. "I need to be going now Ami," he said, "but thank you. You are a true friend." With that, he left, leaving a blushing Ami in the kitchen.  
  
Three days later, Ami was at the Juuban Library when her comunicator went off. "Guys, we've got a situation over in the comercial area of Nerima! You need to hurry; there's civilians involved!" Makoto's voice said. Snapping her book closed, Ami hurried towards the fight, changing into Sailor Mercury on the way. Dropping her bags into subspace, she lept to the roofs. Ami was horrified when she reached the scene of the battle. The daimion had blasted appart the ally behind the Nekohatten. Xian Pu was in a crumpled heap in a pile of rubble, and the old woman who ran the restaraunt was throwing ki attacks at the youma...who had Mu Shu in it's grip, draining him of energy. "MERCURY ICE BUBBLES BLAST!" she cried once she was in range. The daimion was knocked off it's feet as it was hit an instant later by Mars' Flame Sniper. The daimion let go of Mu Su as it flew through the air, dropping his limp body on a pile of broken bricks. He landed with a sickening thud, and moaned softly, his eyes half closed. Sailor Mercury tried to focus on her data readings of the daimion as they popped up on visor, but was too distracted. She was caught off gaurd when the monser grabbed her from behind, squeazing her neck and torso until she could hardly breath. She thrashed poinlessly, then got a grip on herself and tried some of the moves she had learned of the past weeks. She kicked back, slaming she sharp heels of her boots into the shins of the daimion as hard as she could. The moster cried out, and while it's grip lessened, it didn't let go. Gasping for the air she could now inhale, Sailor Mercury kicked again and jabbed with her elbows. The daimion let go, dropping her to the ground. She caught herself and rolled out of the way as it tried to grab her again. Still on the ground, she kicked up with all of her strength, using it's momentum as it lunged to her advantage. The daimion flew through the air, crashing head first into a building. Sailor Moon showed up then and dusted it imeadiatly. While the old woman was helping Xian Pu to her feet, Sailor Mercury ran to Mu Su. He had slid off the bricks, unconsiouse and was hidden from the view of the others save for his feet. Turning back to herself, Ami knelt beside him, brushing hair, dust and blood from his face. "Mu Su, wake up," she whispered fevrently. She nearly shook his shoulders, but she knew from medical books she had read that that was probably a bad idea, considering the condition he was in. He groaned and Ami felt her heart leap in releif. "Mu Su!" she threw her arms around his neck as his eyes opened, hugging him as tears welled in her own. "A...Ami...?" "Hai, I'm right here," she said, and gently stroaked his face. He tried to sit up. "Don't move," she told him. "You're hurt--" "I'll be fine," he said. "I heal pretty quickly." Indeed, by the look on his face, Ami could tell his strength and his senses were returning to him. She picked up his dusty, cracked, and nearly broken glasses and set them on his face. "Arigato," he said, and she helped him to stand. "What happened?" he asked. I remember the Scouts showing up, and falling, and then I saw Mercury fighting...." he knit his brows in concentration. "I was on my way over and saw the last part of the fight," Ami said as she lead him over to Koh Lon and Xian Pu. They defeated the diamion, shortly after you passed out I think." He nodded, and she could tell he regretted the action. The Nekohatten was undamaged except for the store room, and the four of them sat down in the kitchen area. Ami, as the only uningured party, got out first aid supplies and helped to clean up Mu Shu and Xian Pu. "Why stupid moster go after Shampoo?" asked the purple haired girl indignently as her great-grandmother cleaned a cut on her arm. "Shampoo never do anything to it, but now Shampoo mad and find stupid monster and give Kiss of Death!" "You can't do that, Xian Pu-san," Ami said. "The Sailor Scouts destroyed it. And anyway you proably wouldn't be able to get close enough. They normaly stick to Juuban, and the battles are usualy short." The ramen chef chewed on that for a while [no pun inteanded], then asked, "But why attack Shampoo anyway? Or baka Mousse when he try play hero?" "The daimions want energy. Life force. So they drain people of their ki. I know from my lessons with Mu Shu that you martial artists have a lot of ki, so they attack you and try to get energy as fast as possible. At least, that is my deduction from what I've read and seen," Ami replied. She tacked on the last bit in a desprate attempt no to seem suspiciouse. "I take it these attacks are quite common in your district?" Colone said. "Hai. I've seen a lot of them." "Hmm." "If everything is alright, then I think I should be going now," Ami said. She hurriely stood up and left.  
  
That evening, Ami was making dinner for herself. Her mother had the night shift, and had left early for a staff meeting. She was just setting her plate on the table when there was a knock on the door. Curiouse, she opened it and found Mu Su on the door step. "Mu Su? What are you doing here?" she asked as she let him in. "I-- I wanted to ask you something," he replied. "I -- I remember the first part of the battle, when the Scouts first showed up. Mercury, she fought..." His voice trailed off. "It's you, isn't it? You're the only other person who could know..." Ami stared at him, unsure of what to say. "I..." she couldn't get another word out. She couldn't move to shake her head or nod, she only stared at him. "The moves I've been teaching you...some of them are unique of my village. You're the only non-Amazon that would know them..." Ami didn't know what to say. Should she admit it? Would she even be able to deny it? How could anyone else know how to fight in the Amazon style? She opened her mouth, still not knowing what would come out. "Yes." "Nani-o?" "Yes. I am Sailor Mercury." She looked up, praying he wouldn't laugh. Praying he wouldn't hate her, or run. It was Mu Su's turn to stare. He was silent for a long time. Then, he moved a little closer and tilted Ami's chin up so she was looking at him. "There's a lot more to you than meets the eye, Ami-chan," he said at last, smiling. Releif washed over Ami in waves, and she let out the breath she had been holding. "You don't hate me or anything?" she asked, still a little scared. "No!" Mu Su replied with a little laugh. "How can I hate the woman who saved my life? The woman who...who made me see people for who they really are?" The last part came out in a near whisper. "What? I didn't do all that," Ami said. "I wasn't the only Scout there, and what do you mean 'see people for who they really are'?" "Xian Pu is as stuborn as me, and I kept thinking that someday, I would make her love me. But," he sighed, "I can't do that. I can't change the way anyone feels. But I didn't realize that until you showed me the truth. And you were right, Ami-chan. There is someone that loves me for who I am. She thinks I'm a gentalman, nice, generouse, talented, smart, and a good martial artist. I--I just don't know how she loves me. If it's as a friend, or a brother, or..." Ami only looked at him. She could feel her heart being torn as he spoke. He had found someone who loved him, really loved him, and it sounded like he felt the same. I should be happy for him, right?Ami thought. A tear welled up in one eye. So why do I feel so horrible? The tear began to roll down her cheek as another formed in her other eye. Mu Su wiped it away with his thumb. "So which is it?" he asked finally. "How do you feel about me?" Ami's heart stopped. "Na--nani?" Had she heard right? He had been talking about her? Her? Ami, the quiet one? The one with no talent byond school work? The one who was everybody's friend, but nothing more? "How do you feel about me?" Mu Su asked again. Ami choked back a sob as she hugged him, burrying her face in his chest, incapable of speach. Inside, her mind was partly a whirlwind, partly numb. The mind that could solve complicated equations in seconds, come up with a perfect plan at a moment's notice, was dumbly repeating the same thing over and over, trying to process it. He cares about ME? He noticed ME, byond being just a student? Meanwhile, another part of her brain was a flurry of what ifs, and worry. Does he only care because I told him I'm a Sailor Scout? What if he tells someone? Did I just make a huge mistake? What if he doesn't really love me? What if he only likes me as a friend? What if -- Ami forced herself back together and looked up. Mu Su was watching her, waiting for her reply. "I--I love you," she whispered, afraid to continue. "I... I wish you were my koiboito." Mu Su smiled. "Wish granted." He kissed her on the forehead. And then the lips. And then... 


End file.
